Southern Weddings

Friday evening, we joined most of our guests at a local lobster shack, Boothbay Lobster Wharf, for dinner. In order to keep costs down, my parents decided to hold, not host, this event. Remember when we discussed this in Southern Etiquette? I highly recommend this option for couples who want a welcome event but aren’t sure how to cover the expense! It worked perfectly for us and our location, since guests ordered at the window then took their food upstairs to our designated (and decorated!) area to eat. Perfectly casual, and perfect for mingling. Once again, Jenna was on hand to snap candids!

For the tables, we dressed up simple glass hurricanes with sheets of gingham waxed paper from the Container Store. And in case you can’t all read the sign I made, it says “Claws for celebration!” I crack myself up…

At the end of the night, guests received Wicked Whoopies. Whoopie pies are a Maine treasure — the state even has a whoopie pie day! — so we thought they were an appropriately sweet end to the festivities. Big thanks again to Jenna for these photos — I’ll be back with more soon from the actual wedding day!

Written with love by Emily

Today is VERY special. You see, Kate, today’s bride, happens to be my older sister, and Cormac is officially my new brother-in-law! They were married in a seaside ceremony on a tiny island off the coast of Maine this past August, and I’m thrilled to be able to share their multi-day celebration on SW. Let’s kick things off with the welcome event!

The Friday before the wedding started with a wiffle ball game on-island. Cormac played baseball and Kate played softball in college, so it only seemed an appropriate way to kick off the festivities. Funnily enough, the field we were playing on would play host to their ceremony about 24 hours later!

But let’s back up a bit. Guests found their way to the Island via rustic wooden signs (handmade by my Dad and I!), then boarded a former fishing boat-turned ferry for the short trip across the river. There is only one truck on the island and no bridge that connects it with the mainland, so you can bet the logistics got a bit harried at times :)

Then it was up the hill and on to the game!

We had about as many onlookers as active players…

After the game we returned to the main float hot and sweaty and ready for a jump into the, shall we say, refreshing Maine ocean. For all you Southerners, think “so cold you gasp when you hit the water” cold. “So cold you can’t feel your legs after a few seconds” cold. Yeah. But it was worth it for photos like these, and worth it to see the expression on the faces of our guests who had traveled from all parts of the country!

Yep, we were blessed with an absolutely gorgeous day.

What do y’all think so far? We’re not even done with Friday yet! Be back soon with more from the rehearsal dinner, but before I do that, I have to introduce you to Kate + Cormac’s photographer, Jenna Cole. Jenna came all the way out from Texas to spend Friday and Saturday with us, and we were thrilled to have her there capturing not only the big moments, but also these funny little casual ones. Brides, if you can swing it, I would definitely encourage you to hire a photographer for the rehearsal dinner and any other smaller events you might be hosting. It’s absolutely worth it!

Written with love by Emily